Baked Bat Wings

Eye of Newt and Wing of Bat. . . ok, so that's not how the witches' incantation starts, but you can serve up Shakespearean-worthy spooky delights this Halloween. Test your guests' mettle with these blackened baked bats' wings and watch as they go back for more. Season these wings to your own liking. You can simply add black food coloring to your favorite marinade or sauce for these wings, but choosing a sticky sauce will ensure the black lips and fingertips! Try a sesame marinade enhanced with black food coloring like the following:

Ingredients:

6-8 chicken wings*

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup sesame oil (or other vegetable oil)

2 tablespoons mirin or brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic minced

4 whole green onions thinly sliced

1/4-1/2 teaspoon black food coloring

opt. black sesame seeds

* Get un-trimmed chicken wings from your meat counter. Most frozen chicken wings are already separated into "drumettes" and "wings," with the tips being discarded. When you get them whole, they make a much spookier snack!

Directions:

Marinade wings in sauce for 1-4 hours.

Bake wings at 375F on lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with plenty of napkins!

For added appeal, pin wings to a parchment-lined chopping board and write the names of different bat species below. Which is tastier: the Black Flying Fox bat's wings, or the Mexican Free Tail's? Don't be surprised if your guests think they all taste like chicken.